View limiting device



July 16, 1968 A. JENISON VIEW LIMITING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1966 INVENTOR.

ATTO/P/VE'YS United States Patent 3,392,461 VIEW LIMITING DEVICE Arnold Jenison, 712 Duff Ave., Ames, Iowa 50010 Filed June 3, 1966, Ser. No. 555,061 1 Claim. (CI. 35-12) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A'view limiting device including a hood means having a pair of side portions connected by a top portion. The top portion is partially foldably connected to the side portion and also partially detachably connected to the side portion. A strap means is secured to the hood means to facilitate the attachment thereof to a wearers head.

View limiting devices are commonly used in many environments, and are extensively used as an instrument flight training hood to permit the pilot to see only the instrument panel before him.

The view limiting devices presently available are unsatisfactory for several reasons, among them being: (1) The devices are not foldable; (2) The devices are subject to breakage; (3) The devices are not adjustable; and (4) The devices are expensive of manufacture.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a view limiting device which is especially well adapted for use as an instrument flight training hood.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which is foldable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which is not subject to breakage but which is extremely strong due to the construction thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which is adjustable.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which may be rigidly fixed to the head.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which is easily manufactured from a variety of materials.

A further object of this invention is to provide a view limiting device which is durable in use, refined in appearance and economical of manufacture.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims,-and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device illustrating the manner in which it is afiixed to the persons head;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the device illustrating the manner in which it is affixed to the persons head;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the device in an inverted position, the device being in a partially assembled condition;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the device in a folded condition; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded bottom view of the device.

The hood is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes side portions 11 and 13 connected by a top portion 15.

Top portion 15 will be described as having a top surface 17, bottom surface 19, forward end 21 and a rearward end 23. Top portion 15 is comprised of a rectangular front portion 25, a quadrilateral portion 27 defined by fold lines 29 and 31 at opposite ends thereof, a base portion 33 defined by fold line 31 at its forward end and a fold line 35 at its rearward end, and a rear portion 37 defined by fold line 35 at its forward end and defined at its rearward end by rearward end 23 of top portion 15. Rear portion 37 is provided with a plurality of spaced fold lines 39 formed therein as best seen in FIG. 6. Quadrilateral portion 27 is provided with tabs 41 and 43 extending from the opposite side edges thereof as also best illustrated in FIG. 6. Base portion 33 is provided with tabs 45 and 47 extending from the opposite side edges thereof and rear portion 37 is provided with spaced apart slots 49 and 51 formed therein (FIG. 6).

Side portion 11 is comprised of a rectangular front portion 53 defined at its rearward end by a fold line 55. Front portion 53 is provided with a flap portion 57 at one side thereof defined by fold line 59. Rearwardly of front portion 53 is an intermediate portion 61 having a tapered inner edge 63 which is provided with a slot 65 formed therein adjacent parallel to inner edge 63. The rearward end of intermediate portion 61 is separated from a base portion 67 by a fold line 69. As best seen in FIG. 6, base portion 67 is provided with a slot 71 formed therein adjacent and parallel to its inner edge 73. Base portion 67 is also provided with an arcuate cut out portion 75 (FIG. 6) which is designed to accommodate the wearers ear (FIG. 2).

Side portion 13 is comprised of a rectangular front portion 77 defined at its rearward end by a fold line 79. Front portion 77 is provided with a flap portion 81 at one side thereof defined by fold line 83. Rearwardly of front portion 77 is an intermediate portion 85 having a tapered inner edge 87 which is provided with a slot 89 formed therein adjacent and parallel to inner edge 87. The rearward end of intermediate portion 85 is separated from a base portion 91 by a fold line 93. As best seen in FIG. 6, base portion 91 is provided with a slot 95 formed therein adjacent and parallel to its inner edge 97. Base portion 91 is also provided with an arcuate cut out portion 99 (FIG. 6) which is designed to accommodate the wearers ear (FIG. 3). The registering edges of front portion 53 of side portion 11 and front portion 25 of top portion 15 are secured together by any convenient means such as a tape 101 adhesively secured thereto in such a manner to permit the front portions 53 and 25 to be folded with respect to each other. The registering edges of front portion 77 of side portion 13 and front portion 25 of top portion 15 are also secured together by any. convenient means such as tape 103 adhesively secured thereto in such a manner as to permit the front portions 25 and 77 to be folded with respect to each other.

In a normally folded position, side portions 11 and 13 are folded upon top portion 15 such as illustrated in FIG. 5. It can be seen in FIG. 5 that rear portion 37 of top portion 15 is folded upon the rearward ends of side portions 11 and 13. When the hood 10 is to be used, the device is unfolded from its positionof FIG. 5 and tabs 41, 45, 43 and 47 inserted into slots 65, 71 and 87 and 95 respectively. Flap portions 57 and '81 are then folded to cause them to extend inwardly as best seen in FIG. 1. In the position of FIG. 1, side portions 11 and 13 are at a substantial right angle to top portion 15 (FIG. 1). The various fold lines previously described permit the device to be folded to the position of FIG. 1. A strap 105 is inserted through slot 49, slot 107 in base portion 67, slot 109 in base portion 91, and slot 51. The device is secured to the wearers head by means of strap 105 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 thereby limiting the view of the wearer. It can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 that rear portion 37 of top portion 15 extends downwardly over the rearward portion of the wearers head to facilitate a comfortable and secure attachment thereto. The device can be adjusted for various head sizes by simply adjusting strap 105 in conventional fashion. The front end of the hood can be raised or 3 lowered by merely adjusting the same upon the wearers head.

The device can be constructed from a variety of materials, either translucent or opaque, such as plastic, cardboard, etc. The construction of the device is such that it is extremely strong and durable. The device can be easily folded to a flat position thereby occupying a minimum of space during storage. The device is inexpensive of manufacture due to the construction thereof.

Thus it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my view limiting device Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a view limiting device,

a hood means having rearward and forward ends and being comprised of a pair of side portions connected by a top portion,

said top portion being partially foldably connected to said side portions and also being partially detachably connected to said portions,

and a strap means secured to said hood means to facilitate the attachment thereof to a wearers head,

said top portion including a horizontally disposed rectangular front portion, a quadrilateral portion extending upwardly from one end of said front portion, a base portion extending substantially horizontally from said quadrilateral portion, and a rearward portion extending downwardly from said base portion,

each of said side portions including rectangular front portions foldably connected to said front portion of said top portion and extending downwardly therefrom,

each of said side portions including an intermediate portion extending rearwardly and outwardly from the rearward end of said front portions of said side portions respectively and being detachably secured to opposite sides of said quadrilateral portion,

each of said side portions having a rearward portion extending rearwardly from its respective intermediate portion detachably secured to said base portion of said top portion,

said strap means extending at least through said rearward portions of said side portions,

said quadrilateral and base portions of said top portion having a plurality of tabs extending therefrom which are adapted to be detachably received by slots formed in said intermediate and base portions of each of said side portions to maintain said hood in a wearable position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 865,484 9/1907 Ellis 212 1,198,337 9/1916 Folsom 2-12 1,557,375 10/1925 Stern 2-12 X 2,330,442 3/1941 Nero 2-12 2,522,938 7/1948 Francis et al 35-12 X 2,090,132 2/1935 Lacoe 35-12 2,842,868 7/1958 Belter 35-12 3,225,459 12/1965 Wilstein 35-12 FOREIGN PATENTS 96,878 9/1939 Sweden. 177,531 5/1956 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

R. W. WEIG, Assistant Examiner. 

